A&M slams Kansas, looks forward to UT

Texas A&M wide receiver Ryan Swope (25) runs into the end zone for a touchdown during the first half of an NCAA college football game against Kansas on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Karen Warren) MANDATORY CREDIT

Photo By Associated Press

Kansas' Toben Opurum, rear, brings down Texas A&M quarterback Ryan Tannehill (17) during the first half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Karen Warren) MANDATORY CREDIT

Photo By Associated Press

Texas A&M defensive back Steven Terrell (21) runs back an interception against Kansas during the first half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Karen Warren) MANDATORY CREDIT

Photo By AP

CORRECTS TO KANSAS, NOT KANSAS STATE - Kansas quarterback Jordan Webb, center, is sacked by Texas A&M linebacker Damontre Moore (94) during the first half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Karen Warren) MANDATORY CREDIT

Photo By AP

CORRECTS TO KANSAS, NOT KANSAS STATE - Texas A&M players mob defensive back Steven Terrell (21) after his interception against Kansas during the first half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Karen Warren) MANDATORY CREDIT

Photo By AP

CORRECTS TO KANSAS, NOT KANSAS STATE - Texas A&M wide receiver Ryan Swope (25) kneels in the end zone after getting a touchdown against Kansas during the first half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Karen Warren) MANDATORY CREDIT

Photo By AP

CORRECTS TO KANSAS, NOT KANSAS STATE - Texas A&M wide receiver Brandal Jackson (4) fights off a tackle against Kansas wide receiver Brodrick Smith (5) during the first half of an NCAA college football game on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2011, in College Station, Texas. (AP Photo/Houston Chronicle, Karen Warren) MANDATORY CREDIT

Photo By Patrick T. Fallon/Staff Photographer

David Benac, senior head yell leader, scrambles to grab his belt loop back from a corpsman as he is carried off by the Corps of Cadets after the NCAA football game between the Texas A&M Aggies and Kansas University Jayhawks on Nov. 19, 2011 at Kyle field in College Station, Texas. The Aggies beat KU 61-7. (Patrick T. Fallon/The Dallas Morning News)

Photo By Patrick T. Fallon/Staff Photographer

Texas A&M Aggies wide receive Dustin Harris (22) dives to score a touchdown during the NCAA football game between the Texas A&M Aggies and Kansas University Jayhawks on Nov. 19, 2011 at Kyle field in College Station, Texas. The Aggies beat KU 61-7. (Patrick T. Fallon/The Dallas Morning News)

Related Stories

COLLEGE STATION – One by one, Texas A&M's players vowed they started zeroing in on Thanksgiving night's touted Texas game as soon as they entered the locker room following their 61-7 hammering of Kansas on Saturday before 86,411 fans at Kyle Field.

Then a smiling defensive end Tony Jerod-Eddie 'fessed up.

"It was probably with a couple of minutes left in the game that we started thinking about this Thursday night," he said. "We know it's going to be a huge game, and we know those guys are good and are going to give us all they've got.

"But they're going to get it in return, as well."

The Aggies (6-5, 4-4) didn't need Saturday night to soak in their victory over the Jayhawks (2-9, 0-8) – they had the second half for that. A&M led 23-0 after a quarter and 44-0 by the time the Aggie Band marched onto the field at halftime, in ensuring they wouldn't blow their fifth double-digit second-half lead this season.

"I told the kids before the game, 'It doesn't look like we'll win a championship this year, but that doesn't mean you can't play like champions today,'" A&M coach Mike Sherman said.

And, at least for one league game, the underachieving Aggies resembled the team once ranked seventh early this season. A&M, in dominating Kansas from start to finish, snapped a three-game losing streak, and became eligible for a bowl for the third time in Sherman's four seasons.

"We got outcoached and outplayed," said KU coach Turner Gill, steward of the league's worst team. "We got beat in every phase, and their guys were better than our guys."

And one of A&M's guys, running back Cyrus Gray, was better in a half than any Jayhawks runner mustered over the entire game. Gray rushed for 94 yards and three touchdowns on nine carries, before exiting just before the half with what Sherman dubbed a bruised shoulder.

"I don't have a final analysis yet," Sherman said of the extent of Gray's injury.

With Gray in sweat pants on the sideline in the second half, Sherman played freshman Will Randolph, who had redshirted through the first 10 games but earned 10 carries for 37 yards (and fumbled once) over the final two quarters.

"It's always difficult to pull a redshirt, but without knowing Cyrus' status for (Texas), it was important that Randolph get reps in this game," Sherman said. "It's what we had to do."

Early in Saturday's game, Gray became the third player in A&M history to notch consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons, following Greg Hill (1991-92) and George Woodard (1976-77). Gray had shared the rushing duties through the first nine games with Christine Michael, who tore his ACL two weeks ago at Oklahoma and is out for the season.

Should Gray not be able to go against the Longhorns, the Aggies are down to two scholarship running backs: sophomore Ben Malena, who would be the new No. 1, and Randolph, who own 29 carries between them this season.

"Cyrus is big for us, and we'll see how it goes," quarterback Ryan Tannehill said. "But Malena is a solid running back, as well. We see what he can do in practice every day. Either way we have confidence."

Confidence, too, was bountiful for the Aggies against the Jayhawks, as the 44-0 lead marked their largest at halftime since waylaying Louisiana-Lafayette 45-0 over two quarters in 1997. Tannehill threw three touchdown passes, including two to Ryan Swope, and the A&M defense tallied a season-high 15 tackles for lost yards.

And, by game's end, the rival Longhorns were on the Aggies' minds.

"It's a historic game for us," Tannehill said. "The fact that we get to play Texas at home, in what's probably the last game between the schools, that's huge."

The Aggies are set to enter the Southeastern Conference starting next season, and UT has said it won't play A&M for the foreseeable future.

POSTGAME NOTES

Junior punt returner Dustin Harris tallied a school-record 162 yards on three returns, including a 72-yard touchdown. He snapped the record of 131 yards on three returns set by Aaron Glenn against Missouri in 1993. Harris took over the role for an injured Kenric McNeal six games into the season.

Junior receiver Ryan Swope had nine catches for 137 yards against Kansas, and his 78 receptions on the year are a new single-season school record. He and Jeff Fuller shared the old record of 72 set last year. Fuller finished with two catches for 33 yards against KU.

Fuller didn't play until midway through the second quarter, in failing to start for the first time in 29 games. "That's between Jeff and me," coach Mike Sherman said of why. "He and I had a conversation that will remain between the two of us."